Bulldogs Look Healthy for NCAA Regionals

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - After having many of their
runners sick at the Heptagonals Championships two weeks ago, the
Bulldogs look forward to racing healthy this Saturday. They will
head to Boston, Mass., for the NCAA Northeast Regional
Championships, hosted by Boston University at Franklin Park.

All of the Ivy League schools from Heptagonals, except Penn and
Princeton, will also compete at the regional meet. Head coach Dan
Ireland said the Bulldogs would like to get another race with them
with the Bulldogs at their peak potential.

"We had a number of individuals that did not perform up to their
potential because of illness at Heps," Ireland said. "This is a
chance for us to run what (we're) capable of doing."

The Bulldogs will run juniors Matt Bogdan,
Jeff Perrella and Max Walden and
sophomores Conor Dooney,
Jake
McKenzie, Nathan Richards and
Julian Sheinbaum. Coach Ireland said he has high
hopes for Dooney and Perrella, who have the potential to make the
All-Region team this year. The top 25 finishers earn All-Region
honors.

The Bulldogs have tested out the course at Franklin Park before
at the Harvard-Yale dual meet earlier this year, but the regional
venue will involve a much larger field of runners. The Northeast
Regional is the largest region in the NCAA with 43 schools
competing. The Bulldogs placed 11th last year.

Iona, which is currently ranked number one in the northeast by
the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association,
looks for a second regional title. No. 2 Syracuse, No. 3 Providence
and No. 4 Columbia will also be chasing after the Gaels.

As the season nears its end, the Bulldogs will try to make the
regional meet a springboard into next year.

"We want to end on a positive note," Ireland said.

The men's 10K race will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and results will
be posted on Yalebulldogs.com
and directathletics.com. The top
two teams and the top four individual finishers automatically
qualify for the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23 in Terre Haute,
Ind.